Creator of a “Microgrid in a Box” Honored at White House

Aug. 17, 2015
Lisa Laughner doesn’t meet many other women who’ve founded technology startups like her company, Go Electric, which produces what she calls a “microgrid in a box.” Laughner was recently was honored by an invitation to the White House.

Lisa Laughner doesn’t meet many other women who’ve founded technology startups like her company, Go Electric, which produces what she calls a “microgrid in a box.”

Laughner, CEO of Go Electric, recently was honored by an invitation to the White House to demonstrate her product, described by Laughner as an “uninterruptible power system on steroids.” The LYNC product is a patented microgrid and uninterruptible power system that automatically synchronizes, manages and optimizes multiple AC and DC power sources, according to the company.

At the White House Demo Day, Laughner and other female and minority technology leaders demonstrated their company’s innovations and told success stories about creating bold, game-changing products and services.

“I have to admit. I meet very few women CEOs in technology startups,” she says.

Laughner, a mechanical engineer, founded the company and has two male partners in the venture. She worked for large corporations for 20 years, including Roll Royce in England.

“My role at Rolls Royce for 11 years was new product development and launches,” she says. “I love the aspect of getting new ideas out and into production. The last role I had was corporate ventures. I mined Rolls Royce technology and spun out technologies. It was so much fun I decided to do it for myself.”

As a woman-led business — as opposed to a woman-owned business — the company doesn’t receive any federal funding because the company is not 50 percent women-owned.  However, Go Electric recently won a $50,000 award for a woman CEO from the Clean Energy Trust. The company also received $75,000 from the Energy Excelerator.

Go Electric was also nominated for a Best of Tech in Indiana award.

“I don’t know if I’m crazy or not,” she says of being a woman in the technology business. Given Laughner’s many successes, the answer is obviously no.

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About the Author

Lisa Cohn | Contributing Editor

I focus on the West Coast and Midwest. Email me at [email protected]

I’ve been writing about energy for more than 20 years, and my stories have appeared in EnergyBiz, SNL Financial, Mother Earth News, Natural Home Magazine, Horizon Air Magazine, Oregon Business, Open Spaces, the Portland Tribune, The Oregonian, Renewable Energy World, Windpower Monthly and other publications. I’m also a former stringer for the Platts/McGraw-Hill energy publications. I began my career covering energy and environment for The Cape Cod Times, where Elisa Wood also was a reporter. I’ve received numerous writing awards from national, regional and local organizations, including Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Willamette Writers, Associated Oregon Industries, and the Voice of Youth Advocates. I first became interested in energy as a student at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, where I helped design and build a solar house.

Twitter: @LisaECohn

Linkedin: LisaEllenCohn

Facebook: Energy Efficiency Markets

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